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While report is late 'it is here'- Hon Penn on motion against Governor

- but said his colleague Hon Fraser was within rights to bring motion
Opposition Leader, Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8), right, has suggested he was not in favour of a motion brought to the House of Assembly (HoA) by his own colleague, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) to reprimand the Governor for the late tabling of the 'Auditor General's Report on Government's Financing of BVI Airways' Direct Flights to Miami' in the HoA. Photo: VINO/GIS/File
Accusing the Governor of the Virgin Islands, His Excellency, Augustus J. U. Jaspert, left, of having a 'cavalier attitude' towards the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA), Senior Opposition Member, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), right, moved a motion to reprimand Mr Jaspert over the late tabling of the BVI Airways report from the Auditor General. Photo: VINO/Facebook/File
Accusing the Governor of the Virgin Islands, His Excellency, Augustus J. U. Jaspert, left, of having a 'cavalier attitude' towards the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA), Senior Opposition Member, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), right, moved a motion to reprimand Mr Jaspert over the late tabling of the BVI Airways report from the Auditor General. Photo: VINO/Facebook/File
Second District Representative and Opposition Member, Hon Melvin M. Turnbull said he blindly seconded the motion to see where it was going, noting that Hon Fraser had a right to bring it to the house. Photo: HoA/Youtube
Second District Representative and Opposition Member, Hon Melvin M. Turnbull said he blindly seconded the motion to see where it was going, noting that Hon Fraser had a right to bring it to the house. Photo: HoA/Youtube
DUFF'S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI - The question of whether the Territory has an effective 'tri-party' Opposition that is united and trusting of each other may have been answered when Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) said he was unaware that Senior Opposition Member, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) was bringing a motion to the House of Assembly (HoA) to reprimand the Governor.

The motion, which can be regarded as historic, was moved on May 28, 2020, and seconded by Opposition Member Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), where Hon Fraser blamed the Governer for the untimely arrival of the BVI Airways audit report to the House of Assembly (HoA), which was a month and one day after its statutory deadline.

Hon Fraser has a right - Opposition Leader 

According to the Opposition Leader, on the heels of statements from Hon Turnbull, "I too like my colleague before me, was also unaware of what my honourable colleague to my left [Hon Fraser] intent was when he started the process of bringing a motion to this Honourable House," he said on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

Hon Turnbull, just minutes earlier, had told the House he had blindly seconded the motion to see where it was going, noting that Hon Fraser had a right to bring it to the house.

Hon Penn told the House, "My other colleague is absolutely right, the member was within his bounds to bring the Motion, he followed the rules that have been set out in the Standing Orders... rules specific to the Constitution."

While report is late, 'it is here'- Hon Penn

The Opposition Leader; however, said while the Governor had no right to instruct the HoA to meet at a specific date, he suggested he was not in favour of reprimanding the Governor for the lateness of the report.

“The member’s motion, which is a subject of a specific topic here today, while I too agree based on the specifics, and you are hearing there were some letters going left, right and centre, back and forth, you heard the Premier’s letter and I think Mr Speaker, you read the Governor’s letter to the Honourable House, to yourself and to the members, you read it in this House, actually in the opening session, where you yourself reprimanded the Governor, that the Governor has no right to direct and has no power to direct the House, which is true, which is accurate.

"So in terms of my involvement in that fight specifically to this particular report, I believe that while it is late…it is here."

As such, Hon Penn instead used the time given to debate the motion to rant against the sitting government, complaining that the Opposition was being unfairly criticised and vowing that he would not be intimidated as a Member of the Opposition.

12 Responses to “While report is late 'it is here'- Hon Penn on motion against Governor”

  • Islands (05/06/2020, 09:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    In my opinion, everyone isplaying to entertain the public with many things and they cannot see what is happening who favors the covid-19 and what awaits taxpayers of the new taxes in general, poor of the one who does not have his eyes open
  • terrible (05/06/2020, 10:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    This brings shame on the house, they allhid during the aftermath of Irma when Jasper was front and centre, it is them who allowed the waste of $7.2mil even when they were told NOT TO DO IT. Now during the pandemic when the Gov and Government are working 24/7 the paper was not tabled in the house on time even though the government had the paper in time but wasn't ready to table the paper, so all the toys are thrown out the pram to hide something.
  • Sigh (05/06/2020, 10:12) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    God has a plan for the wicked. Little by little the public will realize that the opposition leader is nothing short of a conman. Who remembers when the National Democratic Party was acting like they all together then they ended up splitting in three.
  • look (05/06/2020, 10:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    What a cross look thing and hear thing. Please remember the public is watching and listening.
  • Cautiously Optimistic (05/06/2020, 10:29) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Accountability is a must, regardless of your position. Some of you all don't get it!! The governor violated the rules and should be reprimanded. He cannot be allowed to get away with this sort of behavior. Whether you are NDP or VIP doesn't matter, we are all BVIslanders and should all agree that this is not acceptable!! This governor has not hesitated to flex his powers!! Yes, oversight is needed, but Mr. Govenor has crossed lines and should be held accountable. Be careful what you accept, for it may become the very thing you may loathe in the future.
  • Local (05/06/2020, 10:43) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    Marlon you need to grow some balls and stand behind fraszer , you are not strong enough to be the opposition leader you need Andrew play book for when he was in the opposition it was fire bring down brimstone.
  • one eye (05/06/2020, 10:43) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Smuf crazy is he saying you must break the rules
  • NDP Legal Council (05/06/2020, 12:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    the people of the territory would not have been in this Predicament if there was government in the sunshine(as promised) we have our own fellow citizens to blame not Tom, Dick or Harry(talk that)
  • priest (05/06/2020, 14:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ok, so The leader of the opposition was unaware of what the Member of D3 was up to. The member for the D2 who seconded the motion did not know what the motion entailed. Are we going to hear from the member form D4? Who is the opposition? One thing I have always told myself though is to be careful of the persons you team up with to go against the boss.
    • @priest (05/06/2020, 16:23) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply

      Until you understand that the leader of the opposition is nothing short of a c** artist you will still be asking these sort of questions.

  • Outsider (05/06/2020, 15:18) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Ahyo keep messing with the governor! Remember he reports to who and you legal tender is NOT your posession!!
  • Agenda (05/06/2020, 20:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The report was late as part of an agenda. Fraser knows what is going down and had the guts to stand up but as usual you will never get the backing of these coward boys. The young people know exactly how this cowardly uncle tom game is being played that is why they are rebelling. Its going to be interesting to see how much of a hero Andrew turns out to be when the well runs dry.


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